Just Dance (song)
"Just Dance" is the debut single by American artist Lady Gaga. The song was writen by Gaga and produced by RedOne and Gaga, while also featuring labelmate Colby O'Donis. It was released in 2008 as the lead single from Gaga's debut studio album The Fame Monster. Gaga wrote the song herself in less than 10 minutes as "a happy record", and lyrically speaks about being intoxicated at a club. The song recived positive critical acclaim, with reviewers complimenting its club anthem-like nature and the insane catchy synthpop beats associated with it. The song experienced major commercial success domestically as well as internationally. It topped the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 Billboard Hot 100] chart for nine consecutive weeks, becoming the 1,000th number-one song of the pop era, giving it status as longest running number one single of 2008 and of the 2000s decade until it was later surpassed by her smash "Poker Face". The single has sold over 6,755,000 digital copies in the US alone. "Just Dance" is one of six Gaga songs to top 5 million paid downloads in the US, the others being "Poker Face", "Bad Romance", "Telephone", "Alejandro" and "Dance In The Dark", more than any other artist in the history. It has topped the charts in over twenty-five countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Europe, United Kingdom & United States. The single is among the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 12.6 million copies. The music video of the song portrayed Lady Gaga appearing in a party where she plays the song, prompting party-goers to start dancing in enjoyment. Gaga compared her experience of shooting the video with being on a Martin Scorsese set. "Just Dance" was performed by Gaga in a 0of live appearances including her worldwide tour The Monster Ball Tour. In 2009, the song received a Grammy award for Best Dance Recording making it the first debut single to ever recive a Grammy award. Rolling Stone ranked it number thirty-six on their list of 100 Best Songs of the 2000s decade. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 27 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". Writing and inspiration "Just Dance" is written by Gaga and produced by RedOne & Gaga. In an interview with Heat magazine Gaga explained her inspiration for writing the song. She said, "I was very hung-over. I wrote the song in about 10 minutes by myself. And it was my first time being in a Hollywood studio. Very pristine, big huge room with giant speakers." Gaga wrote "Just Dance" during January 2008 and according to her it was "hard work and a lot of people didn't believe in it at first". Later, Gaga reflected on the song by saying, :: "That record saved my life. I was in such a dark space in New York in my penthouse. I was so depressed, always in a bar and druged like a hooker. I got on a plane to LA to do my music and was given one shot to write the song that would change my life and later the lives of million people all around the globe." In an interview with Contactmusic.com Gaga explained that "Just Dance" is a happy record and is supposed to be appreciated by people going through rough times like losing jobs and homes etc. Gaga further explained with Artistdirect that she wanted to write a beautiful record with "Just Dance" that would change lives and pop culture. Being asked the reason for which "Just Dance" has become so insanely popular, Gaga said that she thought, "Everyone is looking for a song that really speaks to the joy in our souls and in our hearts and having a good time. It's just one of those records. It feels really really good, and when you listen to it, it makes you feel good inside. It's as simple as that. I don't think it's rocket science when it comes to the heart. I think it's a heart theme song." In March 2010 the song was released as downloadable content for the music-based videogame series Rock Band, alongside "Poker Face", "Bad Romance", "Telephone", "Alejandro" and "Dance In The Dark". Composition "Just Dance" is an uptempo electropop and hi-nrg song. The song combines synths of clipped marching beats, soaring electronics and contains mild R&B infused beats. According to the sheet music published in Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is set in time with a beat rate of super fast 145 beats per minute. It is written in the key of C♯ minor. Gaga's vocal spans from the low note of G3 to the high note of C5. The song begins with a fast tempo following by the synth arrangement and Gaga uttering "Red Wine". "Just Dance" has a progression of C♯m–E–B–F♯m. Colby O'Donis sings the interlude in the same range as Gaga followed by an R&B influenced interlude by her, after which the chorus is repeated with O'Donis providing backup vocals and the marching beats. The song ends with an echoing of the word "dance". Lyrically, "Just Dance" throws a partial tongue-in-cheek perspective with lyrics like "What's going on on the floor? / I love this record, baby but I can't see straight anymore". The lyrics deal with being completely intoxicated at a party. Music video Released in June 2008, the video was directed by music video director Melina Matsoukas, and is based on the thematic content of the song of being in a party. The video begins with Gaga arriving with her background dancers at a house party, which seems to have ended. One of the dancers puts a Discolite Boombox on, blaring the music through the house. The crowd at the party appear to be sleeping in different areas, and are awoken by the music. They all start to dance, and scenes of the party are inter cut with scenes of a scantily dressed Lady Gaga dancing in a poncho, with a disco ball or in a small rubber pool playing with an inflated killer whale. She wears a blue, lightning-bolt shaped sticker beneath her right eye like that on the single cover, which became one of her many signiture signs and looks. O'Donis appears in the video being flanked by several girls during the "When I come through on the dance floor" interlude. Cameo appearances are made by Akon and Space Cowboy. MTV called the video as an ode to the "Me Decade". During an interview with Australian radio in September 2008, Gaga said that "The whole video is performance art about being drunk at a party." In an interview with About.com, when asked about the shooting experience of the music video, Gaga explained, :: "Oh it was so fun, it was amazing. For me it was like being on a Martin Scorsese set. I've been so low budget for so long, and to have this incredibly amazing video was really very humbling. It was really fun, but you'll see if you ever come to a video shoot of mine one day – I'm very private about those things, I don't really talk to everybody. I'm not like the party girl running around. I might even seem to be a bit of a diva. I'm sort of with myself, in my work head space worrying about costumes, and if extras look right, and placement. I don't just show up for things, you know. That video was a vision of mine. It was Melina the director who wanted to do something, to have a performance art aspect that was so pop but it was still commercial, but that felt like lifestyle. It was all those things, I love it." Track listings *'U.S./Japanese CD single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:13 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:20 *'U.S. promo club CD' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental) – 4:00 #"Just Dance" (Acapella) – 4:00 *'U.S. promo remix CD' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental Version) – 4:00 #"Just Dance" (Acapella) – 4:00 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:14 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:14 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:21 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Radio Edit) – 3:26 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Edit) – 3:35 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Dub) – 5:56 *'Australian/German CD single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:21 *'German CD maxi single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:14 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental Version) – 4:00 #"Just Dance" (Video) – 4:10 *'French CD maxi single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Glam As You Radio Mix By Guéna LG) – 3:39 #"Just Dance" (Glam As You Club Mix By Guéna LG)) – 6:25 *'US iTunes Remixes EP' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:13 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:20 *'US iTunes Remixes Pt. 2 EP' #"Just Dance" (RedOne Remix) – 4:18 #"Just Dance" (Space Cowboy Remix) – 5:01 #"Just Dance" (Robots To Mars Remix) – 4:37 #"Just Dance" (Tony Arzadon Remix) – 6:24 *'UK CD single' #"Just Dance" (Main Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (RedOne Remix) – 4:18 *'UK 7" numbered picture vinyl disc' #"Just Dance" (Main Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 Credits and personnel *Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriting, background vocals, production *RedOne – production, background vocals, instrumentation, programming, recording at Record Plant Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California *Akon – background vocals *Colby O'Donis– vocals, background vocals *Dave Russel – audio engineering *Robert Orton – audio mixing *Gene Grimaldi – audio mastering at Oasis Mastering, Burbank, California Category:Singles Category:Songs Category:Songs from "The Fame Monster" Category:2008 songs Category:Released songs Category:10,000,000 units sold (singles) Category:International number-one singles Category:Songs written by Gaga Category:Songs produced by Gaga Category:Songs produced by RedOne